Most wasps will only nest where they can find shelter
against the wet, in a nice dry, dark and secluded place away from constant
disruption. If you keep getting nests then consider the following prevention
tips:

1.1Deny access by sealing off wherever the wasps nest. Use insect mesh to
cover air bricks and soffits.

1.2Illuminate spaces where wasps tend to nest with a permanent low wattage
light. Keep the light on throughout the wasp nesting season or fit a timer
which comes on every hour or so.

1.3Treat timbers with a wasp repellent mix of 1part eucalyptus oil, 1 part
menthol, 1 part citronella oil in teak oil. Apply sparingly. You do not have to
saturate the timbers.

1.4Inspect nesting areas every two to three days and remove any early
forming nests. You can use a vacuum to do this if the nest is no bigger than a
tennis ball but be careful not to get stung and make sure the vacuum remains
switched on for at least 10 minutes after you have cleared away the nest so
that the heat from the vacuum kills off any live wasps.

1.5If you tend to get ground nesting wasps then inspect your garden/back
yard each winter and fill in any abandoned rodent nests or holes. Ground
nesting wasps tend to take over the burrows of other animals or insects.

1.6Take care around hedgerows. Try not to plant boxwoods and firs next to
your home.

1.7If you find you have a mature nest then call in professional pest controllers
to have it removed. Wasps are far too dangerous to attempt do it yourself! If
you cannot afford to call in pest controllers then use a pesticide spray
specifically designed for wasp nests such as those which foam to seal the nest
entrance. Make sure you are wearing loose clothing which covers as much of your
body as possible and seal off trouser legs, shirt sleeves and collars. Wasps
will easily sting through tight fitting clothes.

2.0 Free Flying Nuisance Wasps:

Nuisance wasps will come into your area to get food, water,
plant waxes or wood pulp for building materials.

2.1Do not plant sweet succulent plants that produce lots of nectar or sweet
leaf sap next to your home. If you want to have such plants then try to plant
them prevailingly upwind of your home so that the fragrance of the plants is
carried away from your home.

2.3Clear away garbage properly and place it in sealed bags in sealed trash
cans or bins.

2.4If you have wooden furniture or decking inspect it regularly for wasp
damage and treat if any signs appear (furry vertical lines etched into the
wood). Treat with eucalyptus/citronella/menthol in teak oil.

2.5Place water baths and nectar feeders prevailingly upwind and away from your
home.

2.6If you do have nuisance wasps then purchase a good well designed wasp
trap. The trap should be designed for safety and ease of use. The WaspBane wasp
trap (see www.waspbane.com) is probably
one of the best. Do not be tempted to use home made traps because in most if
not all cases they make the situation worse. Good traps will kill all of the
wasps that they catch. This prevents scouts from reporting food sources back to
their nests so preventing swarming. Most home made traps will only kill a
proportion of the wasps that they catch which means that scouts get back to the
nest to bring more colleagues back with them!

2.7Place the wasp traps prevailingly downwind from the areas you want to
protect. Do not place them on garden tables or near to where food is consumed.

2.8Place traps near garbage cans or bins.

What to do if you get stung:

Quickly and with as little swatting or flailing of arms
remove yourself from the vicinity of the stinging wasp(s).

Do NOT sit or rest (unless you feel that you may faint). Get
near to a telephone, relative or friend. Try not to be alone for the next few
hours. In some cases people develop a reaction to wasp stings which can be
fatal and this may happen immediately or after a few hours. SEEK IMMEDIATE
MEDICAL HELP if you start having problems breathing or if you start to feel
your throat or face swelling or if you start to develop red hives which are
patches of hot, red, irritated and raised (swollen) skin. In case of swelling
of the throat or face do not lie down unless you feel you may lose consciousness.
Stand and keep moving (to keep your body’s natural levels of adrenaline high)
or if this becomes impossible then sit upright. Apply a cold press at the same
time to try to keep the swelling down.

Immediately wash the wound and apply an antiseptic salve.
This is important because many wasp stings are infected with pus and are likely
to lead to infection. Monitor the wound for the next few hours. If it continues
to feel hot and swollen after four hours then the likelihood is that it will be
infected and will require antibiotic treatment. If you get an intense itch you
can treat this with an oral antihistamine. Sedating antihistamines work best provided
you do not have to drive or operate machinery because they will make you feel
drowsy. Skin preparations containing the anaesthetics benzocaine and lidocaine
are helpful in relieving pain and itch. Skin preparations containing
antihistamines should be avoided because they can cause allergic type reactions
and sensitisation to sun light.